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Leon

1112 E 17th Avenue
Denver, CO 80218
303-832-1599
Leon Gallery

Leon

  • Exhibitions
  • Events
  • The Gallery
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 Gallery View- front wall

Continental Divide: East of L.A. / West of Tehran August, 2015

Continental Divide: East of L.A / West of Tehran

On Exhibition: July 17th - August 22nd , 2015

The Artists:

Arya Ghavamian, Laleh Mehran, Justin Mashouf, + Amitis Motevalli

Curatorial Statement:

NOW, as we witnesses the historic events unfolding with a nuclear deal being forged between Iran and six world powers, lead by the United States, the artwork presented within this exhibition is more relevant than ever. Leon is proud to present four exceptional Iranian-American artists whose unique perspectives give a powerful voice to their own personal experiences, as well as larger, more universal truths. Through their use of critical content ranging from global economic forces to political propaganda, from pre-war nostalgia to contemporary hip-hop culture, they express the diversity of their ancestral heritage in a manner which challenges stereotypes and dispels myths.   

How important is American identity within the work of immigrant artists? How important is the inclusion of ancestral traditions within their art? Is it possible for first-generation American artists, born of immigrant parents, to express their American identity while retaining and honoring their cultural heritage?

Continental Divide: East of L.A / West of Tehran features select American artists of Iranian descent, who are encouraged to present work that explores issues they have faced in being of Persian descent, the struggles they have encountered in exploring their artistic voice, and their connection, if any, to their ancestral homeland- while also growing up within an American culture that is too often misinformed and antagonistic toward their ancestral homeland.

Featuring artwork by electronic time-based media artist and associate professor of Emergent Digital Practices at DU, Laleh Mehran; Justin Mashouf, 3 time Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker; Arya Ghavamian, photographer and video artist featured recently in Vanity Fair, and Performance and mixed media artist Amitis Motevalli. 

Photography by: Amanda Tipton

 

Continental Divide: East of L.A. / West of Tehran August, 2015

Continental Divide: East of L.A / West of Tehran

On Exhibition: July 17th - August 22nd , 2015

The Artists:

Arya Ghavamian, Laleh Mehran, Justin Mashouf, + Amitis Motevalli

Curatorial Statement:

NOW, as we witnesses the historic events unfolding with a nuclear deal being forged between Iran and six world powers, lead by the United States, the artwork presented within this exhibition is more relevant than ever. Leon is proud to present four exceptional Iranian-American artists whose unique perspectives give a powerful voice to their own personal experiences, as well as larger, more universal truths. Through their use of critical content ranging from global economic forces to political propaganda, from pre-war nostalgia to contemporary hip-hop culture, they express the diversity of their ancestral heritage in a manner which challenges stereotypes and dispels myths.   

How important is American identity within the work of immigrant artists? How important is the inclusion of ancestral traditions within their art? Is it possible for first-generation American artists, born of immigrant parents, to express their American identity while retaining and honoring their cultural heritage?

Continental Divide: East of L.A / West of Tehran features select American artists of Iranian descent, who are encouraged to present work that explores issues they have faced in being of Persian descent, the struggles they have encountered in exploring their artistic voice, and their connection, if any, to their ancestral homeland- while also growing up within an American culture that is too often misinformed and antagonistic toward their ancestral homeland.

Featuring artwork by electronic time-based media artist and associate professor of Emergent Digital Practices at DU, Laleh Mehran; Justin Mashouf, 3 time Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker; Arya Ghavamian, photographer and video artist featured recently in Vanity Fair, and Performance and mixed media artist Amitis Motevalli. 

Photography by: Amanda Tipton

 

 Gallery View- front wall

Gallery View- front wall

  Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel   Digital C-Print   2005 / 2010  (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)  Individual print prices upon request (non-confiscated set)  Amitis Motevalli  Available

Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel

Digital C-Print 

2005 / 2010

(Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)

Individual print prices upon request (non-confiscated set)

Amitis Motevalli

Available

  Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel   Digital C-Print   2005 / 2010  20.003333" x 13.626667 (image size)  27" x 19.5" (framed)   (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)  Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images)   Amitis Motevalli  Available

Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel

Digital C-Print 

2005 / 2010

20.003333" x 13.626667 (image size)

27" x 19.5" (framed)

 (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)

Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images) 

Amitis Motevalli

Available

  Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel   Digital C-Print   2005 / 2010  16.003333" x 19.456667" (image size)  24" x 25" (framed)  (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)  Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images)   Amitis Motevalli  Available

Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel

Digital C-Print 

2005 / 2010

16.003333" x 19.456667" (image size)

24" x 25" (framed)

(Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)

Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images) 

Amitis Motevalli

Available

  Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel   Digital C-Print   2005 / 2010  16.000" x 19.45333" (image size)  22" x 26" (framed)  (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)  Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images)   Amitis Motevalli  Available

Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel

Digital C-Print 

2005 / 2010

16.000" x 19.45333" (image size)

22" x 26" (framed)

(Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)

Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images) 

Amitis Motevalli

Available

  Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel   Digital C-Print   2005 / 2010  16.010000" x 18.88667" (image size)  22.5" x 26.5" (framed)  (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)  Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images)   Amitis Motevalli  Available

Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel

Digital C-Print 

2005 / 2010

16.010000" x 18.88667" (image size)

22.5" x 26.5" (framed)

(Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)

Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images) 

Amitis Motevalli

Available

  Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel - letter   Inkjet on linen paper   2005 / 2010  11" x 14" (image size)  13" x 15" (framed)  (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)  Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images)   Amitis Motevalli  Available

Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel - letter

Inkjet on linen paper 

2005 / 2010

11" x 14" (image size)

13" x 15" (framed)

(Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)

Individual print prices upon request  (non-confiscated images) 

Amitis Motevalli

Available

 Installation View 

Installation View 

  Before the War   Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper  Arya Ghavamian   

Before the War

Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper

Arya Ghavamian

 

  Before the War   Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper  21" x 27"  Arya Ghavamian  Available

Before the War

Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper

21" x 27"

Arya Ghavamian

Available

  Before the War   Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper  19" x 31"  Arya Ghavamian  SOLD

Before the War

Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper

19" x 31"

Arya Ghavamian

SOLD

 Before the War  Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper  21" x 27"  Arya Ghavamian  Available

Before the War

Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper

21" x 27"

Arya Ghavamian

Available

  Before the War   Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper  21" x 27"  Arya Ghavamian  Available   

Before the War

Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper

21" x 27"

Arya Ghavamian

Available

 

  Before the War  (detail)  Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper  21" x 27"  Arya Ghavamian  Available

Before the War (detail)

Digital Print on 100% Cotton Paper

21" x 27"

Arya Ghavamian

Available

  Warring Factions ( Documentary)  DVD  Justin Mashouf  Available

Warring Factions (Documentary)

DVD

Justin Mashouf

Available

 on left:  Call to (Dis)Arms  (2013) +  Spring Movements  (2011)  Music Video  Justin Mashouf     on right:  Warring Factions    Documentary  2010  Justin Mashouf   

on left: Call to (Dis)Arms (2013) + Spring Movements (2011)

Music Video

Justin Mashouf

 

on right: Warring Factions

Documentary

2010

Justin Mashouf

 

 Gallery View     Foreground  on the left television:  Call to (Dis)Arms  (2013) +  Spring Movements  (2011)  Music Video  Justin Mashouf     on the right television:  Warring Factions   Documentary  2010  Justin Mashouf     Background  right wall:  Dominant Policy   Single Channel HD Digital Video  2013  Laleh Mehran      

Gallery View

 

Foreground

on the left television: Call to (Dis)Arms (2013) + Spring Movements (2011)

Music Video

Justin Mashouf

 

on the right television: Warring Factions

Documentary

2010

Justin Mashouf

 

Background

right wall: Dominant Policy

Single Channel HD Digital Video

2013

Laleh Mehran

 

 

  Warring Factions ( Documentary)  DVD  Justin Mashouf   

Warring Factions (Documentary)

DVD

Justin Mashouf

 

  Dominant Policy  (still)  Single Channel HD Digital Video  2013  Laleh Mehran

Dominant Policy (still)

Single Channel HD Digital Video

2013

Laleh Mehran

  Dominant Policy  (still)  Single Channel HD Digital Video  2013  Laleh Mehran

Dominant Policy (still)

Single Channel HD Digital Video

2013

Laleh Mehran

  Dominant Policy  (still)  Single Channel HD Digital Video  2013  Laleh Mehran

Dominant Policy (still)

Single Channel HD Digital Video

2013

Laleh Mehran

 Gallery View

Gallery View

 Gallery View  left wall:  Dominant Policy   Single Channel HD Digital Video  2013  Laleh Mehran     On Right:    Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel   Digital C-Print   2005 / 2010  (Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)  Individual print prices upon request (non-confiscated set)  Amitis Motevalli   

Gallery View

left wall: Dominant Policy

Single Channel HD Digital Video

2013

Laleh Mehran

 

On Right: 

Confiscated Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rebel

Digital C-Print 

2005 / 2010

(Set of 5 pieces confiscated by Homeland Security)

Individual print prices upon request (non-confiscated set)

Amitis Motevalli

 

 Installation View

Installation View

 Installation View

Installation View

Leon is open Wednesday-Friday 10-6pm + Saturday-Sunday 12-5pm.

Leon is also available as an event space    Contact us for specifics and availability